Some network-based computing service providers allow users to purchase and utilize computing resources, such as virtual machine (“VM”) instances, on an on-going or as-needed basis. In addition to VM instances, such computing service providers typically allow customers to purchase and utilize other types of computing resources. For example, customers might be permitted to purchase access to and use of file and block data storage resources, database resources, networking resources, and other types of computing resources. Utilizing these computing resources as building blocks, customers of such a network-based computing services can create custom solutions that provide various types of functionality, such as application hosting, backup and storage, content delivery, World Wide Web (“Web”) hosting, enterprise information technology (“IT”) solutions, database services, and others.
VM instances may enter a non-responsive or “bad” state. For example, a VM instance may be unreachable by a user via, for example, a secure shell (“SSH”) protocol or a MICROSOFT® remote desktop protocol (“RDP”). Such unreachability may be related to or associated with an operating system being utilized to operate the VM instance. Generally, no information is gathered with respect to circumstances related to the occurrence of the unreachable instance. Furthermore, a user may not be monitoring or paying attention to operation of the VM instance. For example, the VM instance may be performing a large computing job and thus, if a problem arises with the VM instance, the user may not be aware of the problem. Thus, the VM instance may be utilizing various computing resources, but not achieving any results.
The disclosure made herein is presented with respect to these and other considerations.